A small festival with a big lineup, Visions Festival is a one-dayer in Hackney that's your best bet of seeing future star acts “before they were cool”.
Taking place at several established Hackney venues on Saturday 22 July, Visions Festival has a knack for sniffing out some of the most promising rising talent on the scene right now. Its past line-ups have included the likes of Black Country, New Road, Scalping, and Shygirl playing to intimate crowds before breaking through and taking to major stages all over the globe. A few larger names are usually thrown into the mix each year as well, but all in all, the festival offers a prime opportunity for catching the next big thing before the rest of the world catches on.
The far-reaching music policy spans everything from indie rock and punk to hip hop and electronica, meaning there's something for everyone, and the proximity of the stages means you can just spend a nice day out in Hackney meandering from club to club, gig to gig, and pint to pint. Also, Visions Festival is probably the only festival in the world that kicks off with a dog show that's open to all, with pooches competing in fun categories such as Waggiest Tail or Best Name.
For its tenth edition, Visions Festival 2023 has curated a lineup headlined by 90s greats Spiritualized, along with Katy J Pearson, Just Mustard, Chubby and The Gang, and promising up-and-comers such as Sam Akpro and Picture Parlour. You can check out the full line-up and ticket info here.